


One Little Spark

by darktensh17



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst, Death, Goodbyes, M/M, Poe Dameron Hurts So Prettily
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-06
Updated: 2016-03-06
Packaged: 2018-05-25 02:56:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6177427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darktensh17/pseuds/darktensh17
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Poe goes to visit Ben at the Jedi Temple, he doesn't expect it to be their last goodbye.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One Little Spark

**Author's Note:**

> Written for The Force Awakens Kink meme. 
> 
> "Ben spared Poe during the Jedi massacre"

Poe barely holds back his excitement as he packs his bags in a hurry. It was hard enough getting the week of leave necessary for him to make a trip out to Yavin 4, he wasn’t going to let the higher ups change their minds about granting him the leave.

“Common BB! I want to get going as soon as possible.” Poe calls to his little orange and white droid as he finishes with his packing. “The sooner we leave the sooner we’ll get home.”

Beeping and whirring excitedly BB-8 follows after Poe as he heads out, waving at his roommate and fellow pilot Muran. “I’ll see you in a week; don’t burn the place down when I’m gone!”

“Good riddance! Maybe I’ll finally get some sleep without you here Dameron!” Muran calls after him. “Don’t crash your ship!”

Laughing, Poe dodges through the other students in the hall, wanting to run as fast as possible but mindful of BB-8 trying to weave through people’s legs. “Don’t fall behind B!”

At one point he almost knocks into one of the older students over. “You’re a menace Dameron!” 

“Sorry! Sorry!” There isn’t time to stop and apologize properly; he’s out of the barracks and racing down the walkway to the hangers. The flat and empty terrain allows an excitedly beeping and whirring BB-8 to keep up with him. “I know! Papi’ll be so excited to see us.” 

Visiting his father iss really only one reason that Poe wants to head home. Poe’s real goal iss to take speeder bike over to the Jedi academy that Luke Skywalker run’s on Yavin 4 to see his most favourite person, and boyfriend, Ben Solo. Ben isn’t expecting Poe to visit, so hopefully it’s going to prove a pleasant surprise and not end up with Ben pouting sullenly at him all weekend

Lifting the door of the small shuttle that he was cleared to borrow, Poe ushers BB-8 in quickly, eager to take off as soon as possible. His bag is thrown into the spare chair as Poe hops into the pilot seat and begins the activation sequence. “Ground this is Lieutenant Dameron asking for clearance.”

The commlink crackles a moment before a voice comes through on the other end. “You’re cleared for take off Leuitenant, enjoy your trip and try not to stress your old man out too much.”

“Roger that ground control.” With a whoop, Poe starts the shuttle and iss blasting off, programming the coordinates for Yavin 4 once they are clear of the atmosphere and ready to engage the hyperdrive and go into light-speed. “This is it BB, Ben won’t know what hit him!” 

-

“Poe! It’s good to see you son!” Kes Dameron exclaims as he pulls Poe into a tight hug. “It’s been too long.” The words are light, but Poe can tell there’s a measure of sadness to his words. After Poe’s mother Shara Bey died, it was only Poe and his father, and since Poe’s entrance into the Academy Kes has been on his own.

Not at all concerned about how childish he might look, Poe buries his face in his father’s shoulder. Other than his first week at the Academy he hasn’t had time to feel home sick, here in his father’s arms he feels it heavy in his gut. “I promise to try and come visit more often, I’ve missed you.”

Kes presses a kiss to the top of his head, like he used to when Poe was little. “I know you’ve been busy, but I’d settle for at least a call a week.” He pulls away so that he can look his boy over. “You’ve gotten a little taller and put some muscle on. You look good.”

“I think I’m probably almost at my peak for height thanks to your Dameron genes.” Poe jokes grinning, his heigh’ts never been something he’s very concerned about. Sure he gets teased about it at the Academy, but it’s all in good fun. “Common BB, let’s get you charging. It was quite the trip, and you’re going to need the spare energy while we’re here. You know how dad is about having you help out around the house.”

A light slap to the back of the head has Poe fake wincing. “Papppiii!”

“You know very well I’d never treat my grandson like a servant.” BB-8 chirps excitedly as Kes bends down to pat the top of his dome. “That’s right; you’ve got a week of spoiling ahead of you BB. When Poe is off visiting Ben, you can tell me everything that Poe is keeping from me.” 

When BB-8 whirs his agreement, Poe sticks his tongue out at the astromech. “Traitor.” 

BB-8’s reply is less than kind. 

“Where did you learn that kind of language?!” BB-8’s answer has Poe rolling his eyes. “Of course it’d be from Pava. I don’t care if she says it’s how all the pilots talk; you don’t see me cursing like a Corellian smuggler.” The comment earned him another rude reply, lacking a reliable ally Poe turns to his father. “You’re going to let your grandson speak to me like this?”

“Says the kid who learned every possible insult that the rebel called members of the Empire, including less than polite ones, by the time he was ten. Despite may I add,” Kes says as they enter the house, “multiple warnings from both myself and your mother.”

There’s not much Poe can say to that, he remembers multiple warnings and more than one grounding because of his language. “You two still don’t need to gang up on me.” He says lamely, heading into his old room to put his bag away, his father’s laughter trailing after him.

“Don’t you know son? Grandparents and grandkids get along so well because they have a common enemy.” BB-8 makes a noise as close to laughter as a droid can manage at Kes’ joke.

“Oh ha ha.” Poe grouses sarcastically. “You should take your comedy act through the stars, they’ll love you.” He’s smiling though; he really missed his dad, bad jokes and all.

Once Poe’s got his clothes for the week put away, he joins his father in the sitting room, BB-8’s already charging happily on the extra pad his dad had installed after Poe brought BB-8 home the first time. He takes a seat on the couch next to his dad, intent to catch up a little before he sneaks off to go and visit Ben. Maybe he’ll go just before sunset and try for a romantic reunion. 

“You don’t have to sit here with your old Papi, I know how much you’re itching to see Ben.” Kes is looking over at him fondly. “If I ever want more grandkids, I better let you two kids have as much time together as possible. Lucky for you Luke isn’t so set on the old Jedi rule about attachments and abstinence.” 

Poe glances at his father from the corner of his eye, blushing a little at Kes’ words and knowing smile. “You don’t mind?”

Shaking his head, Kes makes a shooing motion. “If you don’t go now you’re just going to spend every minute you’re here fidgeting and thinking about Ben. So go before you drive us all crazy. BB and I can entertain ourselves for a few hours.”

That wasn’t the most comforting though, BB-8 could be quite the gossip and tattler, but Poe wanted to see Ben more than anything. “Alright, I’ll be back before dark!” Jumping and waving to his father and BB-8, Poe heads out to the hanger behind the house where his old speeder is stored, still kept in good repair by his father. He pauses only long enough to grab an old helmet before he’s got the speeder started up and is setting off into the jungle toward the Jedi temple.

The sun is just starting to set when he arrives at the edge of the temple grounds. He’s only been here a few times, and is always struck with the serenity that the place gives off. Not this time though, as soon as he passes the tree line a sense of wrongness envelopes him and puts him on his guard. 

Even though the temple is usually quiet, it’s eerily so today adding to Poe’s feeling that something is very wrong. Poe feels defenceless without any sort of weapon, but he can’t bear the thought of leaving and coming back. Instead he grabs a large tree branch as a temporary weapon, it won’t do anything against a blaster, but it makes him feel a little safer.

He comes across the first body inside the door of the temple; it’s one of Master Luke’s older students, a young man around Ben’s own age. Poe nearly steps on his hand before he notices him lying there. With a startled sound, he quickly kneels down to check for a pulse, there isn’t any.

Poe tries very hard to ignore the very particular wound that was likely the cause of his death; he only knows one weapon that both cuts and burns at the same time. His mind shies away from the implications that the wound brings up.

With panic clawing at his throat, Poe hurries through the halls of the temple, his heart in his throat as he comes across more and more bodies. He turns each one over carefully, closing their eyes and saying a prayer over them. Part of him feels guilty at the relief he feels at not finding Ben yet, he doesn’t know if he can handle the sight of his love’s dead body.

“Ben!” Poe calls desperately, hoping against hope that he’s till alive, that maybe Poe’s voice will be enough to keep him safe. “Ben please be alive. . . it’s Poe!”

He hears a strangled cry from a room up ahead, and gripping his branch tightly he runs toward it. As he approaches he hears a strange humming sound that’s almost familiar to him, though he’s only heard it once before when an excited Ben showed him the lightsaber he’d built. 

Maybe it’s Ben or Master Luke fighting against the person it was that’s responsible for the atrocities that have occurred! Hope blooms in his chest and he hurries forward, determined to help in any way that he can!

“Be-!” Poe’s voice chokes off suddenly and the branch drops from suddenly numb fingers as he watches a red lightsaber cut down one of the young Jedi. The expression of rage on Ben’s face is illuminated by the red glow from the weapon. Poe has never seen such a horrible expression on the other’s face.

This can’t be real, Poe tries to tell himself, but the horrifying image doesn’t change as Ben turns toward him. “B-Ben. . .why?” 

The expression melts away from Ben’s face, surprise, shock, and then horror. The lightsaber falls to the ground as Ben takes a hesitant step toward him and another. He’s grown again since Poe’s last seen him in person, Poe can tell he’s almost a head taller than Poe himself, but it could be more with the way Ben seems to be hunching in on himself.

“Y-you’re not supposed to be here!” Ben shouts, angry, as he surges forward and grabs Poe, pushing him against the nearest wall. “Why are you here!?”

For the first time in his life, Poe finds himself scared of Ben, of this anger he’s never seen in him before. “T-to see y-you.”

“No, no, no, no!” Ben releases Poe to grab his head, this close Poe can see sweat beading on his forehead, and a little crease between his brows that is synonymous with Ben being in pain. 

Despite everything he’s seen, Poe finds himself reaching out to comfort Ben. “Ben. . I-it’s okay, I’m sure you didn’t mean to do all t-this. We’ll find your uncle and get you some help.” Gently he lays his hands over Ben’s, having to reach up to do so. “We’ll make this as right as possible.”

For the briefest of moments Ben is leaning into his touch and Poe feels himself relaxing, thinking that the worst of it has passed. He doesn’t quite understand how he suddenly ends up on the ground two feet away with a stinging cheek and a ringing head.

“It can never be right again!” Ben cries, stalking over to Poe and pulling him up by his throat. “You shouldn’t be here Poe! And now. . .” His hands shake despite his menacing words and voice, hands loosening enough to allow him to breathe.

“B-Ben.” Poe’s head is still ringing but he knows that he doesn’t imagine the soft caress against his cheek or the barest touch of lips against his own.

The hand on his cheek moves up to press against his forehead. “I won’t let him have you. I don’t care if he punishes me for it; you’re the only bit of Light I will die to protect.”

Poe fights back a sob, Ben’s words sound too much like a final goodbye. “Please Ben, don’t do this; I love you”

“You’ll be safe this way Poe.” Ben’s words are soft, full of regrets and love as he kisses Poe one last time. Poe can feel Ben’s tears against his lips and wonders if Ben feels them as well. “Now sleep.”

For the briefest of moments Poe feels as though he’s been shocked and then there is only darkness.

When he wakes he’s disoriented, unsure of where he is. Eventually his thoughts catch up to his body and his senses tell him his laying on a bed covered by soft blankets. Not far away he hears the sound of BB-8 humming, the sound is calming.

“BB. . .” BB-8 wheels up to the bed, chirping and whistling faster than Poe’s aching head can translate. Weakly he reaches up and places a hand on BB-8’s dome. “I’m alright. . .I think.” His memory is foggy, he can’t remember what happened after he left the house other than the occasional images flashing, and mostly he remembers it has something to do with Ben.

Surging up in bed he tries to get out of the bed, but finds himself too weak to move. BB-8 is beeping shrilly, admonishing and worried at the same time. “I have to. . .Ben is. . .” He doesn’t know where Ben is or what happened but he needs to get to him, Poe knows this deep in his heart.

“Poe, you need to lie down.” His father says, suddenly at Poe’s side and easing him back into the bed. Poe hadn’t even seen him enter the room. “You’ve been through an ordeal.” 

Poe shakes his head, trying to fight against his father’s hands. “No! I have to go! Have to save Ben . . . !” The world is spinning and Poe soon finds himself slumped again his father, breathing raggedly. “He needs me Papi.”

Kes is rubbing his back soothingly, not saying anything as he gently helps Poe lie back in his bed. Poe realizes he’s in his own room at the house, and not at the Jedi temple. His heart clenches at the thought of the temple but he can’t remember why.

“Where’s Ben Papi?”

It’s not his father who answers but a familiar female voice and Poe is looking at a haggard Leia Organa as she walks into his room. “Ben is gone Poe, there was no sign of him at the temple where we found you.” 

She’s looking at him as though he has answers to the questions that she has, questions that burn inher eyes. Poe is unexpectedly afraid. Deep inside his mind it feels like there’s a door that’s locked, one that he instinctively knows will hold the answers to her questions. Suddenly he doesn’t want to know what happened because there is so much pain radiating behind that door. 

His father’s arms come around him and Poe curls against him, face buried in Kes’ chest like he used to when he was a child. Just like he had when his mother died. Only now it’s the man he loves most in the world who is gone. There is a fire burning deep in his heart, a tendril of hope that tells him he can fight to get Ben back. It’s covered up by the pain now, but in the years to come Poe will hold it tightly and keep it burning; he won’t ever give up on Ben. 

It isn’t until Jakku that that spark ignites into a roaring fire of determination.


End file.
